THERE'S SOMETHING BREWING IN THE DEEPEST, SHADEY CORNERS OF SUSSEX...SOMETHING ETHEREAL, MAGICAL AND DARK...

Stagg & Collins are a ‘dark’ folk band based in Sussex (UK). They right songs from the heart, from personal experiences and, in a time where folk music is gaining some traction again, are poised to be catapulted towards the mainstream any time now. We caught up with them recently…

How are you guys?

We’re good! Just back off a small Festival run of two shows – Chiddfest and Wick Street Festival, with great feedback from both. We’re currently holed up in Pigeon Coop Studios Leicester trying to nail the live sound of our new song ‘To the Catskills (we must go)’. 

Who or what was the first inspiration to pick up and learn an instrument and then form a band?

Strangely we’ve got an eclectic mix. For me it was Neil Young (mainly ‘Rust Never Sleeps’), but Aaron the drummer was into Pantera & Stone Temple Pilots, and the bassist Mike remains a huge R.E.M and Blur fan.  

The bind was Mark Lanegan. His solo works and Screaming Trees. That got us in a room together. 

Who were your early influences and who would you say are your contemporaries now?

So it’s a long list: early on it was Nirvana, Chili Peppers, Stone Temple Pilots, Pantera, Oasis (me – Russ), Jane’s Addiction, R.E.M, and then slowly more country as we mellowed, Johnny Cash, Crosby, Stills and Nash, The Byrds, Neil Young.  

On first hearing ‘Will you watch me?’ I was instantly reminded of Working Class Hero by John Lennon, are there any key messages in your music

I (Russ), write from a narrative perspective, so there’s characters and people who evolve through the songs. If there is any specific message it is hope, it’s okay to be not okay, and turn whatever you’re listening to, UP.  

What do you hope listeners take away from your music?

Live it’s enjoy the evening and grab your mate, your partner, anyone and raise a glass. Recordings, it’s finding something in the songs that clicks and resonates with you, and to learn from the songs. Take ‘One Man’s Love’ for example, it’s a response to ‘In Cold Blood’ by Truman Capote. I dedicate it every gig to the Clutter family. They were taken too soon, for absolutely no reason. ‘The battle for little bohemia’ is in response to the G-Men finding and attacking John Dillinger when he was hold up in the Little Bohemia Lodge, Manitowish , USA. 

Your drummer lived with 7 cats while living in an Amusement Arcade in Eastbourne, does he now have 72 lives to play with?

Yep, If I remember rightly some of their names were Romney, Carina. We might dedicate a song to them one day. He also had two parrots and two pugs, as well as a guard dog alsatian who had a temper.  

The ghost of Woody Guthrie floats through some of your material…Are you spiritual?

Not for me (Russell). The rest of the band haven’t shown an interest. We believe in nature, the healing power of time, if that’s spiritual? 

What’s been the most ridiculous experience that you’ve shared as a band so far?

Trying to record our new single ‘To the Catskills (we must go)’. It’s our most upbeat track, and one I’m super proud of, but we initially worked on it in a studio in Sussex and the sound engineer, who we didn’t want to mix or master, decided to run with it as an unofficial producer. You may hear it one day but it’s not what we wanted. We recorded it as a fast paced upbeat track and the lad slowed it down and added some mad effects. Frustrating and weird. So we’re back to Pigeon Coop Studios, Leicester with our resident legend Joe who’s an unofficial 4th member, who knows us. 

 ‘The battle for little bohemia’ is a bit of a rocker, where did the spark of light come from amid all the dark?

John Dillinger. As simple as that. The original anti-hero, sticking it to the man. My hero, especially in these greedy, tough times. That song has the lyric: ‘who said thieving ever was fair?’ which remains my favourite lyric so far in our little band journey.  The lyric works for both the rich thief and the poor thief alike. And we all know there’s more rich thiefs than poor. 

How would you say your sound has developed since your first releases?

We’re moving into some rockier pastures, more punky, but to be fair the early songs were mine from 20 years ago. They’d sat on a hard-drive gathering the proverbial dust and in lockdown I sent them to Aaron in Leicester to record the drums and bass. The band took off from there.  We’re also making the songs faster to have more fun live!

What prompted you to pen a Christmas song?

Bored. And I loved the piano part which I’d had for some time and didn’t know what to do with. I also don’t know what ‘maple leaf treats’ are – I hope they’re actually something. I made the lyric up. The song was for Aaron, the drummer, who is also my best friend, a spiritual brother, and I wanted one for him. It’s had some good reception, and we can also drag it out every year!!!! 

Folk’s historical connection with politics is long established, do feel the music can still effect change through its honesty?

Now more than ever. In tough financial times, kids and people return to the basics, instruments, music in garages, front rooms, back rooms, sheds. Cheap ways to make noise and to let off steam. This is where the new folk revolution will rise.  Satire and Folk are the only true ways to challenge the political elite through independent songs and comedy. 

How do we get the younger generation involved? Do they understand folk music? Have Mumford & Sons and Fleet Foxes helped or hindered the cause?

We’re not in the game to slag off or degenerate any band or musician. If you’re doing it, playing, writing, you’re an artist and therefore you have our eternal respect. M & S are a behemoth juggernaut, as are Fleet Foxes. As above, let the kids play, give them space and time to make mistakes, give them slots at gigs and festivals, let them learn. The great new ones will rise. 

There’s a heavy use of rural images in your artwork, who chooses these?

Simple = Aaron the drummer will take the photo or have an idea. He’ll send it to me. I’ll ask for a couple of tweaks, then we’ll sign it off and release it – no long drawn out process.  

If you could possess one person (alive or dead) for one day, who would it be and what would you do with the power?

Mark Lanegan. I’d spend the whole day writing and drinking, recording, leaving the results for everyone else. I know Aaron would do the same.  

If you were a book, what would it be called?

‘An Echo of a Dream’.  

What’s on your toast?

Mainly Marmite with lots of butter. Recently got into the Aldi version of Biscoff Spread. Weird.